The Bionic Quadruped Returns

Those of you who have known me for a while will remember that the Borg from Star Trek tried to assimilate my male biped and turned him into The Bionic Quadruped. I tried to make him take some exercise by moving the remote control out of reach and by licking the toes that stuck out of the cast. He didn’t really appreciate my efforts!

A few months had gone by since then and he was almost back to normal. He took me for a walk one day and he slipped in the mud. He made a horrible noise and he got up and we made our way home very slowly – he was hobbling on the bad leg again. When we got home he said that he’d felt his Achilles tendon go again and they made an appointment at the hospital with the specialist he’d seen before.

A few days later my bipeds went out and when they came home it was obvious that the male biped had had another encounter with the Borg. He had the same metal arm extensions, they called them crutches, and a cast on his leg again. He went and sat in his armchair and put the crutches down beside him. He seemed even more fed up than the first time it had happened.

I followed him across the room, to see if I could cheer him up. I nudged his arm gently with my head and he stroked me. Then I decided to have a sniff at his bare toes that were sticking out of the cast.

He said, “Oh no! Don’t start licking my toes again!”

I was a little surprised by that – I’d had no intention of licking his toes! I settled down by his chair and kept an eye on him.

The next day he was sitting on the sofa and I noticed he was leaning over trying to get something. I went to see what was wrong. He was trying to get the remote control, but he couldn’t quite reach it. I stood and thought about this. Then I moved closer and put my nose against the remote control and nudged it closer to him. He took it and smiled. I moved closer to him and he stroked me and told me that I’m clever.

I tried to stay close to him all the time, in case he needed help. One day, as he was trying to get out of a chair, he dropped his crutch and it was out of his reach. I managed to push it across the floor with my paw, so that he could reach it.

Six weeks passed and he came home without the cast on his leg. I went and made a fuss of him and sniffed his leg.

He gave me a hug and he said, “Yes, I’m getting better again! You’ve been a lot nicer to know this time than you were before when I was on crutches. You tormented me then! What a difference a few months make!”

The female biped came back into the room and he asked her, “Did you swap our Clowie for another dog? She looks like Clowie, but she’s much nicer than the puppy that was nipping my toes and teasing me the first time I was in a cast.”

She laughed and said, “She still has her moments! But I agree, she is much nicer to know than she was then. She’s ten months old now and all that training and socialisation is really starting to show results.”

He grinned and said, “What a relief that is!”

Then he stroked me again and said, “You’re growing into a lovely dog!”

Of course they should be pleased with you, oh white furry cousin. After all are We not of the same stock and lineage. Mummy and daddy worked very hard with Me to make sure that I am well socialised. You sound like you are very helpful. Love Nellie and Jasper.

Thank you! When someone says, “Isn’t it a shame that puppies have to grow up?” my bipeds just exchange a look! They say it’s a good job I was cute with it – I’m still working out whether that’s an insult or not.